The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-02-11
HAY IN STACKS.


HAY IN STACKS.
The Enormous Loss Resulting from De-
ficient Methods of Stacking.
Prof. j. w. Sanborn, in bulletin
recently issued, gives the results of his
experience on the grounds of the Mis-
souri, Agricultural College in regard tc
the practical subject, shrinkage of hay
in stacks.
While Prof. Sanborn does not con-
slider the stacking of hay an economical
method he has been forced to this pre-
vailing practice. He says: Ebay con-
tains in the dry, as well as in the green
state, matter that is soluble in water.
For this reason all exposed hay on the
exterior of stacks is subject to having
washed from it such soluble matter
In round stacks the amount of hay thus
exposed is much larger than is usually
supposed. A body one foot in diameter
contains only one-fourth the matter Of
a body two feet in diameter. Thus six
inches from the circumference towards
the center will contain four times as
much matter as the central part of a
round body two feet in diameter.
A stack of hay, II feet in diameter
and feet to the point of its drawing
in, and 5 feet more to the top of its
cone, will contain, on it's outside foot,
at $50 feet to the ton. 2S6.57 pounds of
hay, while the interior will contain
58O.49 pounds. Thus, 35 per cent. of
the hay of the ordinary round stacks
of the State is found on the outside
foot of those stacks. A heavy proper
ton of this food is obviously subject to
loss by teaching rains, by moldering
and by actual rotting in badly-con-
structed stacks.
August 8, 1884, the professor had put
up well-made stack of second crop of
clover. 1t was in good style to shed
rain and capped with other material.
1t was not injured internally by water.
1t weighed, August 9, on stacking,
6,514 pounds. 1t was tested for water
contents by the water bath and found
to contain 1926 per cent. of water.
March it was again all weighed with
much care to prevent loss of hay in
handling. Its weight was 1913 pounds.
At this time it contained 16.14per cent.
of water, the change in water contents
being quite noticeable. 1t was neces-
sary to ascertain the dry matter of the
hay, both in the fall and in the spring:
Full Weight
Dry Matter.
- Pounds
1914 pounds, less 325 per cent. water, is. a, 397
4548 pounds less 1914 per cent. water, is 1854
Loss of organic matter until March &c.. $50
Per cent. loss, seven and one=half months. 1872
What would have been the loss from
July until May, when the last of win
ter food is supposed to be fed?.
Prof. Sanborn makes the following
application to the above facts:
First-The 6,514 pounds of hay in the
fall would have been as well sold at SIS
ton as the 4,548 pounds at $7.16 a ton
in the spring. This does not include
interest and cost of handling which
would carry the spring cost up to So
per ton to equal the S. fall price. These
figures contemplate the sale of hay di-
rect from the field. = -
Second-The above figures of shrink
age for the stack in question do not in
clude the injury to the hay on the bot
tom of the stack and the direct injury
at other parts. -
Third-The 1872 per cent. loss was
doubtless mainly from its most soluble
portions.
Fourth 1872 per cent. when
applied to 100 tons of hay means loss
of 1872 tons. This, at $6 per ton, gives
money loss of 1920 This sum is
the interest on $1,320 at 6 per cent.
For 81, 230 barn can be constructed
in which water will not freeze and that
will hold 100 tons of hay and cattle
enough to consume it.
In conclusion Prof Sanborn ex-
presses the belief that the loss from
badly stacked hay is enormous, and
therefore not in the interest of econ
omy. He advises a moderately ex-
pensive barn. This saves the hay
stamped out about stacks; it saves the
manure; it decreases the amount of
food eaten; it saves the lives of ami
mails and the loss of hay from sources
above considered.
To those who can not secure barns a
cheap and successful system may be
found in building broad, square, high
stacks, and covering them with boards,
a double layer of boards being used to
cover the joints. The English thatch-
ing and other systems of covering are
often ayaila5le.-M Y. World.